Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man on Terrorism and Arson Charges for Lighting Train Passenger on Fire and Setting Chicago City Hall Ablaze Days Earlier

A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted a man on terrorism and arson charges for allegedly lighting a passenger on fire on a Chicago Transit Authority train and setting fire to Chicago City Hall three days earlier.

The indictment against Lawrence Reed, 50, of Chicago, was returned on Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

The charges in the indictment are punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.

The indictment renews the terrorism offense for which Reed was initially charged last month. Reed allegedly approached a woman aboard a Chicago Transit Authority train on Nov. 17, 2025, ignited a bottle containing a liquid substance, and used it to light the victim on fire.

The victim was engulfed in flames but was able to depart the train. She remains hospitalized with critical injuries.

The indictment for the first time charges Reed with arson for allegedly setting a fire to Chicago City Hall on Nov. 14, 2025. The indictment accuses Reed of maliciously damaging and attempting to destroy the building, which is located at 121 N. LaSalle St. in downtown Chicago.

Reed was arrested by Chicago Police officers on Nov. 18, 2025, and he remains detained in federal custody without bond. Arraignment for the charges in the indictment is scheduled for Dec. 19, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura K. McNally.

The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Transit Authority. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron R. Bond and Ronald L. DeWald.

The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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